Thanks!

Wow! It's hard to believe so much time has passed so quickly. I was just thinking on the way to work this morning how quickly the time has gone by. Just a year ago, we were in the midst of treatments, and I had, for a lack of better words, holed up at home. I had no desire to go outside of the house for much, and I pretty much didn't. Now, here I am a year later, quite the opposite! I am back to working 4 days a week, keeping up with the housework (or trying to at least..haha), running most days (I even get to sneak a few days of running with my favorite running partner, the hubbs, every now and then!), and being busy on most weekends. What a blessing! Before this whole ordeal I would have never thought of "being busy" as a blessing, now I know it is nothing short of that, and thank God every day that I am able to count that blessing.  I apologize for not updating more regularly, I always have full intentions of updating at least a month, but as we know, life creeps up and plans change. :) Thankfully my mom picked up the ball and covered for me the last time. Haha. As she reported, I had my 6 months scans in August and was given the all clear for another 3 months. So we will head back at the end of November for my next scan, and God willing, receive the same results. I can't express enough gratitude for all of the prayers you have been sending my way- please keep them coming! The first two years after treatment are the most crucial, as that is when most recurrences creep up. I am fully confident that with your prayers and God on my side, I will make it to the 2 year mark all clear, and each 3 month check mark is just another reason to for praise and thanksgiving!

If you missed my mom's previous post, we have two other reasons for praise in our family lately! Two babies! Kalen, Trisha, and Jack welcomed Miss Cora into the family about a week ago, and Kaleb and Fabi  are expecting their baby boy in just a few short months! :) Unfortunately, I have yet to meet baby Cora, but she is absolutely gorgeous in her pictures (There's been some chatter she looks like her favorite aunt??), and I can't wait to snuggle up to her soon. I've even heard big brother Jack might be liking her a little bit as well. I'm a sucker for babies, there's no way around it, and I'm hoping God will bless us with a family sooner rather than later, but these two will certainly curb my baby fever for awhile! :) haha

And yet another blessing, Matt and I were finally able to go on vacation! :) Due to my diagnosis coming right after our wedding, we truly didn't have time for a honeymoon as we had to move full speed ahead with treatments. So we promised ourselves that once this was all done and over with, we would go somewhere. Holding on to that thought kept me going many times when things got ugly... and thank God, we finally made it! We just returned from Montego Bay, and it was absolutely amazing. I feel bad because every time someone asks about the trip, that's what I tell them, but there are just no other words for it. The whole entire trip was utterly amazing. The most simple and obvious reason being the fact that Matt and I finally had a chance to get away from everything, and remember what brought us together in the first place. It was so nice to be able to focus on and appreciate each other, and gave me the time to celebrate the fact that I am married to the most amazing man I know. How I ended up with such a selfless, considerate husband is beyond me, but I will never get tired of thanking God for that blessing. ;)  Beyond that, Jamaica itself was just breathtaking. The scenery was awesome, clear blue waters, a beautiful mountain back drop outside of our room, and such vibrant colors in both the wildlife and the agriculture, I could go on for hours. lol. The culture as a whole was inspiring. It's a shame we don't see more of that here in the states. Everybody was in a good mood/happy/helpful! I don't think we dealt with one person that wasn't outgoing and helpful. Granted, most would say this is because they are paid to be that way, but to me it seemed more than that. It seemed as though it was innate. And the food there..don't even get me started on that. I'm pretty sure Matt and I gained 10 lbs while being there. It'll be time for some serious dieting in the Fausset household now. lol. I would say the coolest part of the whole trip was the snorkeling we were able to do a few days. It was so neat! Seeing all of the different creatures in the ocean, and feeling jellyfish and other fish, awesome!  I've often heard that people feel closer to God/God's presence by the water, and it's definitely true for me. I've always been a beach baby at heart, and this trip sent me home feel completely refreshed and renewed.

Please continue to keep us in prayer, and we will continually pray for all of your as I know there are so many of that need it right now.. but also remember that just as important as it is to ask for God's help, it is equally important to praise for the blessings already given to us. I heard something before that has always stuck with me; "What if all you woke up with tomorrow, is what you thanked God for today?". It's a very good point. Each of us have something to be thankful for, whether big or small. Hope you all are doing well and enjoying the crisp fall weather that is upon us now!